The Jonathan III, once owned by Jim Beam founder, is at city marina

Savannahh physician Albert Wall stands aoard his yacht Jonathan III, docked at the St. Augustine Municipal Marina, on Wednesday. The vessel is made of wood and was built by Broward Marine in 1958 for Harry Blum, the founder of Jim Beam Distilleries. It was later owned by billionaire Samuel J. LeFrak for more than 30 years. Wall purchased the vessel in 2008 and spent more than two years restoring it.

The 1958 Broward yacht Jonathan III docked at the St. Augustine Municipal Marina on Feb. 8, 2012, with owner Savannah physician Dr. Albert Wall. The vessel is made of wood and was built by Broward Marine in 1958 for Harry Blum, the founder of Jim Beam Distilleries. It was later owned by billionaire Samuel J. LeFrak for more than 30 years. Dr. Albert Wall purchased the vessel in 2008 and spent more than two years restoring her. BY DOUGLAS JORDAN, Special to The Record

As yachts go, bloodlines are at least as important as length. At a mere 83 feet, this vessel hardly measures up to today’s super yachts, many of which are three times that size. But Jonathan III, a 1958 Broward yacht docked at the St. Augustine Municipal Marina, carries the kind of pedigree many of the shinier and newer plastic yachts haven’t yet attained.

The wooden vessel was originally built for Harry Blum, the founder of Jim Beam Distilleries, and was later owned by billionaire Samuel J. LeFrak for more than 30 years.

The current owner, Savannah physician Albert Wall, bought the vessel in 2008 and spent more than two years restoring it.

Holding up a 1958 photograph of the yacht taken for Motor Boating Magazine, Wall proudly told how much work was done to bring it back.

“We essentially wanted to return her to this exact state, like she was when they took this photo,” he said. “It was a long process, but we’re extremely proud of the results.”

The yacht is decked and trimmed with teak from stem to stern and features 22 karat gold leaf accents and lettering. The interior is fitted out with teak veneer — all original — and many of the fixtures are vintage as well. Many systems, such as the galley and pilothouse, have been updated, but overall, it’s not hard to imagine that you’ve stepped back in time 50 years coming aboard.

“She’s got such beautiful lines and a spectacular bow,” Wall, 68, said. “Naturally, I fell in love with her the moment I saw her.”

The twin GM diesel engines are also original, Wall said, and were completely restored to run smoothly. The yacht carries a crew of five and has two guest staterooms and a master suite in the aft section. With crew, owner and guests, it can comfortably accommodate about a dozen people, but Wall said he usually travels with about half that many.

Though he didn’t want to say just how much he has invested, he said the replacement cost for the vessel was around $10 million.

The 9/11 boat

Many of the stories Wall has heard about the boat come from people who were on board years ago, when LeFrak owned it.

“I had an older man come up to the boat one day while we were docked in Palm Beach,” he said. “He was in his 80s, I believe. He told me he recognized the boat when he was coming over the bridge and stopped to say hello. He said, ‘That’s the 9/11 boat.’ I didn’t know what he meant.”

Wall said the man told him that when the attacks happened on Sept. 11, 2001, the vessel — then owned by LeFrak — was docked very close to the World Trade Center. The next day, LeFrak loaned the boat to then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani and his people to survey the damage and photograph the aftermath.

“He said he was on board that day,” Wall said. “It was an amazing story.”

The boat has also known its share of celebrities and dignitaries.

“We’ve got all of the original logs from the years LeFrak owned her,” Wall said. “There have been several political figures aboard, including the Chinese ambassador to the United States.”

He said another man told him a story of being aboard when he was a boy, when his parents were guests of LeFrak. On one particular cruise, the man recalled that Marilyn Monroe, Red Skelton and Buddy Hackett were aboard.

“That must have been a fun voyage,” Wall said. “I’m not sure why those three would be together.”

Unlike many large yacht owners, Wall does not employ a captain and prefers to run the boat himself. He carries a 100 ton master’s certificate captain’s license.

“I like to be at the helm,” he said. “I do most of the navigation and piloting, including the docking.”

Wall said the vessel has no bow thrusters, and he enjoys doing things “the old-fashioned way,” relying on the twin screws and seamanship to avoid mishaps.

Loves St. Augustine

He does employ a first mate, Kai Jorgensen, 31, who handles a variety of duties. But for the most part, the crew consists of Wall and his friends, which is just the way he likes it.

“We have a lot of fun,” Wall said. “Every year right after Thanksgiving, we bring the boat down to Palm Beach, sometimes to the Abacos [Islands in the Bahamas].”

Wall, a longtime member of the Savannah Yacht Club, said he simply has a passion for wooden boats.

“They’re certainly a lot of work and expense,” he said. “Some might call it a personality deficit, but I wouldn’t want to own any other kind. I’ve owned several wooden boats over the years, and I like the feel of wood, the smell of it, working with it. I still have my first-ever boat, a 19-foot Lightning class sailboat that I bought in 1962.”

He said he always makes a point to stop in St. Augustine.

“It’s my favorite stop on the coast,” he said. “We always make sure to stay several days in St. Augustine, and we love the city marina. We can just step off the dock and we’re right in the heart of the historic downtown. It’s quite a beautiful little city, with much of the same charm that Savannah has.”

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Broward Marine is a whisper of its former self.The yard got its start in World War Two building for the Navy. Her hey days were between the 50's and late 80's. They were the first yard to build yachts out of Aluminium. The first Aluminium yacht they built was called "Evil Eye" for none other than Evel Knievel. They have built over 250 yachts. A fire and Frank Dennison's death in the 90's put an end to her glory. Today they are trying to resurrect the yard but their build orders are not what they were.